Ayodhya being decked up ahead of PM's visit, workers making floral patterns inspired by Lord Ram
Ayodhya (UP) (PTI): Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Ayodhya on December 30, the streets in the temple town in Uttar Pradesh are being decorated with flowers to give the city a "divine look".
On Thursday, strings of orange and yellow marigolds were being wrapped around ornamental lamp posts installed on the median of a redeveloped road stretch, now christened Ram Path. These lamp posts carry design elements on the top that depict religious symbols.
Scores of workers drawn from different parts of the country toiled at Ram Katha Park to meticulously put together the flowers into artistic formations.
The designs of these decorations are inspired by the image of Lord Ram, his bow and arrow, Lord Hanuman and religious tilak, among other patterns.
The decoration will be carried out on Friday as well.
Lalit Kumar Singh, a worker from Sitapur, who has been working on the floral decorations that will be used in various parts of the city, said Ayodhya will bear a "divine look" on December 30.
"I have made many decorative designs, including a floral image of Lord Ram holding his bow and arrow. It took 40-45 minutes and about 7-8 kg of flowers," he told PTI.
These items will be used for decoration along Ram Path, Dharm Path, at the airport and the railway station, among other places.
"Hundreds of workers are doing the job and about 300 quintal of flowers have been brought from Kolkata, Delhi, Ghazipur and other places," he added.
On a dais at the Ram Katha Park, a group of workers were busy making floral patterns hung on wooden frames.
One design depicted a bow and arrow made using marigold flowers and leaves and another depicted different aspects of Lord Ram's life.
Largely marigolds, chrysanthemums, orchids and anthuriums are being used for the decorations, another worker said.
Prime Minister Modi is slated to inaugurate an international airport and the redeveloped Ayodhya railway station on December 30.
To enhance accessibility to the upcoming Ram temple, he will also inaugurate four redeveloped, widened and beautified roads in Ayodhya, including Ram Path, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement on Thursday.
A grand Ram temple is currently under construction in Ayodhya, with the consecration ceremony to be held on January 22, which will be attended by the prime minister.
A massive crowd is expected to descend in Ayodhya close to the consecration ceremony and the city is being decked up for the big day.
A set of imposing sun-themed columns -- 'Surya Stambhs' -- are being installed along a prominent street in the holy city.
Large posters bearing images of the upcoming Ram temple and the new airport and a message that hails Ayodhya as a city of "Maryada, Dharm and Sanskriti" have been put up in the temple town in Uttar Pradesh.
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It's govt's responsibility to support youth who dare to dream: Omar Abdullah
Jammu (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said the government may not be able to provide jobs to everyone, but it can create an ecosystem for youngsters to become entrepreneurs and innovators.
It is the responsibility of the government to support youth who dare to dream, he said.
After inaugurating the 11th National Conference and Exhibition on Emerging and Innovative Trends in Engineering Technology (NCEEITET) at the Government College of Engineering and Technology (GCET) in Jammu, Abdullah said, “We may not be able to provide jobs to everyone, but we can certainly create an environment where our youngsters become entrepreneurs and innovators.”
The two-day conference is being organised by the GCET in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur and the World University Consortium (WUC).
Addressing the gathering, Abdullah assured that all necessary steps would be taken to strengthen infrastructure and support systems at the GCET, ensuring that it continues to evolve as a premier institution.
The chief minister also inaugurated a new building for the School of Architecture in the college, built at Rs 19.71 crore.
Stressing the need to balance modernity with the region’s cultural and historical identity, Abdullah said, “Not every building needs to be made of glass and steel. Our structures must reflect our heritage and preserve our cultural ethos.”
Highlighting the role of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, Abdullah said they could significantly improve tourism management, visitor experience and service delivery in Jammu and Kashmir.
However, he cautioned that technological advancement should complement human effort rather than replace jobs, especially in a region where unemployment remains a concern.
The chief minister said that attracting tourists to Jammu and Kashmir was not difficult, but ensuring repeat visits required consistently enriching experiences and better infrastructure across tourism segments, including pilgrimage, border and leisure tourism.
To address the infrastructure gaps in the college, Abdullah announced that funds would be provided this year for the construction of an auditorium.
He also assured support for setting up an incubation centre in GCET.
During the event, Abdullah also released the e-proceedings of the conference, comprising 28 shortlisted research papers.
